Smartly dressed and handsome in a (dark tail-coat and bowtie) before a grand piano, Mark Nadler might be confused with a regular, stuffy concert pianist. Fortunately, he has something much more exciting in store - an inspired concept that combines education and cabaret, as he races through the music of 49 Russian Composers. He creates a linear montage with snappy excerpts of each composer's music, interspersed with modern tunes, swing, jazz and juicy facts about the composers and the time in which they lived.

Mark Nadler's ingenuity lies in communicating the humanity of each composer, before introducing the music they created. Hinting at inspirations, and offering personal interpretations, he makes classical music universally accessible. Take his approach to the most famous Russian composer, Tschaikowsky: Mark Nadler outs the composer as homosexual, and explains that he never had a boyfriend, quoting from Tschaikowsky's letters to demonstrate the great man’s loneliness. He then ponderously plays a section of Tschaikowsky's Romeo and Juliet - the simple and romantic score moving and intensely sad after contemplations of its composer's isolation. The 'other Russians' of the show's title may be less well known, but are equally brought to life with snippets of information; details such as Alexander Scriabin's genetic condition, which meant that he saw colours when he heard notes, and the effects of Stalin's dictatorship on Dmitri Shostakovich's music.

To get through all 49 composers, the performer works at quite a pace, meaning that he only plays a few bars of each tune before moving on. There's a feeling of wanting more, and although his enthusiasm is integral to the show's momentum, it can become wearing towards the end. Mark Nadler is certainly a thrilling performer, tap-dancing under the piano, throwing discarded scores all over the stage behind him, and throwing every ounce of his energy into the show. It would be a gargantuan task to remember all of the 49 Russians. The show itself is unforgettable.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Performer - Mark Nadler.

Company Credits: Creator - Mark Nadler. Director - uncredited. Lighting - Robin Tearle. Sound Designer - Craig Gaskin. Stage Manager - George Miller. Producer - uncredited. www.marknadler.com www.aaaartistes.com

END

(c) Sara Pascoe 2007

reviewed day Sunday 12 August 07 / Assembly @ George Street

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008